Right decision made on stop lights

We thank regional councillors for their decision to install pedestrian-activated stop lights at the corner of Weber and Wilhelm streets in Kitchener.

As outlined by the resident delegations to council, the Weber Street widening is going to bring about many changes in our neighbourhood. A two-lane section of road that has a pronounced curve and a speed limit of 50 km/h will be straightened and expanded to a four-lane, major artery. It will carry not just the present day traffic, but also extra traffic displaced by the light rail transit system on King Street. There is also a possibility that the speed limit will be increased to 60 km/h to bring it in line with Waterloo.

We have many children in the neighbourhood who attend the public, separate, senior public and high schools in our area. Many of them have to cross Weber Street at least twice a day during the busiest times of the day.

The widened road will also form a barrier for adult walkers, including the physically challenged, as well as people on bicycles, who are trying to get to downtown Kitchener or Waterloo without adding to the traffic congestion and parking problems there.

And finally, there is a major development being built in the Louisa and St. Leger streets area that is going to add 1,000 living units, which translates into at least 2,500 residents. One of the selling features is that it will be easy to get downtown without using your car. The result: more foot and bicycle traffic.

So, perhaps it was the numbers quoted here that made the councillors realize that the neighbourhood needs more than an unprotected crosswalk at that corner.